The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-10-08
a Sincere Reformer.


From the Hagerstown Herald.l
We publish to-day a letter from
lMr. Alexander Armstrong, promi-
| nent Democratic attorney of Hagers-
town, in which he announces his en-
dorsement of the Republican state
platform and pledges his support to
that ticket. The letter bears evidence
Ion its face of being the result of
thoughtful deliberation.
Mr.. Armstrong was one of the
ablest Democrats in the last Legisla-
lure, where his honesty of purpose
and independence of action gained
him an enviable reputation and nu-
merous friends among the better ele-
ment of his party. 1t was doubtless
while a member of the House of
Delegates that he obtained a clearer
Insight into the devices and machina-
lions of the bosses, which inspired
him with the aversion so apparent in
his letter.
The manly course adopted by Mr.,
Armstrong. who has always been OPP
posed to the ring, will have very
Improbable effect in this county and
Elsewhere in the state. That his ex-
ample will be followed by many with
j feelings similar to his own, but who
}Fesitated before taking so decisive a
step, cannot be questioned. His de.
4 lection is an important acquisition to
the State canvas in Washington coun-
ty, and while it will make many adj
ditional friends for the cause of pure
government and fair election, it will
also largely increase his own popu-
larity.
We cordially accept Mr.. ARM
stron's proffer of assistance in the
State campaign and commend his
patriotic action to every thoughtful,
conservative Democrat, who places
the welfare Of the state before his
temporary allegiance to party.
To auy ,felJoW- citizens Of Washington,
county:
After the action of the late Repub.
lican State Convention, my earliest
impressions were to give my support
to the Republican nominees. Having
been convinced by experience that il
is best "to make haste slowly" l de
termined to wait until the nominees
of the Republican party signified by
! letter their acceptance of the nOmi.
nations. This they haYe now al
done. and my apprehensions and
conclusions in regard to the step
now take have become more decisive
upon review of political events as
they are now transpirlng.
The reasons which have Influenced
me to this determination are briefly
these:
believe that the politics of BaIti
more city is thoroughly corrupt thai
the will of the people in that city has
been repeatedly subverted. 1t has
been charged, and it is universally
believed, that the present incumbent
of the mayOrship of Baltimore holds
his Office by fraudulent majority.
ian take no satisfaction in the success
Iof my party, if it lie reached by
fraudulent practices, and being wei
Satisfied that these practices do exist
L am constrained to express my alb
4 horrence of them. When you tam
per with the ballot, and thereby de
feat the supreme will of the people
you undermine and destroy Repub
! lican institutions.
In the elections in the counties o
l the state, except perhaps in Anne
Arundel and Baltimore, which liz
next the city, fraud is reduced to {
minimum. Were it not for the ust
of bribery. freely resOrted to by boil
parties, we could say that the elec
tons are absolutely fair. In the city
of Baltimore, however, it has beer
made apparent that the whole cleo
ton machinery is subservient Il
to fraud, and that under it the mos
palpable frauds on the suffrage have
been perpetrated. At the last con
gressional election the development
4 have been startling. The time of tn,
courts has been taken up in the tria
of election judges and clerks. Con
ylctions have been had and thes,
violators of the highest rights of thu
people are now imprisoned.
/ Reading with care and interes
daily events, it is clear to my mine
/ that it is intended at the impendin.
election to bring about a fraudulen
result. The registrars of the city
have declined to permit representa-
tive citizens to be present in thei
offices to take record of their pro
ceedings. and have with violen
hands elected them, and the cour
has been called upon to sustain 81
manifest a right. One of the regis
trars, a candidate for the Legislature
in his a0ard, declined. upon the mos
frivolous pretences. to suffer mem
her of the Reform League to be pres
ent in his Office to witness the regis
tration of voters. Public attention
has been drawn to the fact that hi
is the registrar and Legislative can
didate in the same ward. Public
sentiment has revoIted at the i'm
propriety of the situation, and We
this gentleman has neither resigned
nor been aOith0rdaCn. He fills his offic,
and drives out anybody that come
there in the interest of purity of cleo